Enigma – a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. Fitting that description and catching the attention of the second and third grade Gifted and Talented students at Aaron Parker Elementary is Bigfoot, the most well-known enigma in our area.

Their curiosity of the hominid-like creature led GT teacher Drethia Parsons to have the students research it and come to a conclusion on their own if Bigfoot was real or not.

“In the beginning they all believed because of what they had heard from others and from television that Bigfoot IS real,” said Parsons. “After digging for factual information, some of the students came to believe….Maybe Not!”

The class made a life-size Bigfoot from a large mannequin that had been donated to them. Using descriptions and measurements they found in their search of the large, hairy creature, they constructed a replica to stand in the hallway outside their classroom. The students then wrote friendly letters trying to persuade someone that Bigfoot is real or not based on their findings.

Parsons concluded, “Bigfoot is still an enigma...but we had a lot of fun with our research.”